Dignity and Respect – A letter to the Minister of Foreigns Affairs

As Vanuatu’s Foreign Affairs and External Trade Minister responsible for Protocol and Diplomacy, please do the right thing when it comes to recalling, terminating or farewelling a hardworking departing Head of Mission especially when it comes to a diplomat who has done a lot for his country as well as sacrificed a good number of his years and life serving his country well with distinction, excellence, pride and with great passion and heart for his people, his nation as well as the Government of Vanuatu.

With due respect to you as a State Minister, my advice to you, next time don’t go standing in front of a forum of many good people, shedding false tears, and making shocking announcements of the departures of your heads of mission in public especially when they are also present or when they have never received any form of consultation to announce their departure. This in itself is a total act of DISRESPECT, a disgrace, brings disrepute and raises questions to the reputation and conducts of your diplomats serving in foreign missions.

There is a fine line called “Dignity and Respect” which you need to exercise when you want to farewell hard working diplomats who have served your foreign missions and their country well. Firstly, you consult them to prepare for their departures. Then you serve them well with their three months notice to give them amble time to prepare their families (if they have children at school) for repatriation.

I hope you study and understand well your Foreign Policy in regards to Appointments/Termination of Contracts of your serving diplomats when it comes to recalling, terminating or when their contract comes to an end. These are oversea appointments, and most of these diplomats have families and children in schools so consider these important elements when you are making decisions to terminate their contracts as you are dealing with human lives.

Next thing, Honorable Minister, next time send a proper Government Audit team on their normal annual working rounds to audit oversea mission books/accounts and not waiting to issue instructions to your officials on oversea travels to lead internal audit assessment team to audit an Embassy’s books/accounts just to incriminate an head of mission whom you have recalled/terminated his contract out of the blue to justify your reasons for his termination as well as well as your evil motives.

Many do not talk but observe quietly with alarming interest, how you and your Government of the day continue to make decisions to terminate, sack and sideline good hardworking technicians and senior civil servants to replace them with none other than your political cronies and family wantoks.

Brussels case is an interesting one as we wait to see who will be appointed the next new Ambassador to the EU. All your recent actions, moves and rush agendas are very well monitored.

Its about time you treat your diplomats with respect, don’t leave them disgruntled!!

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This was posted on Yumi Toktok Stret directly to Minister Lengkon. Given the huge amount of information, we have published this and have forwarded the Minister a copy so he could respond.